It is believed that boomerangs originated in Australia and were first used for hunting food and as a weapon for defense. The objective was, if the target was missed, the boomerang would return to the general vicinity from which it was thrown and could quickly be retrieved and used again. As more advanced weapons were developed, the art of throwing boomerangs began to take the form of a game and later became a competitive sport. As the interest in competitive sports increased, the desire to achieve the optimum flight and return pattern of boomerangs prompted many new designs in shape and form. Any flying object can be somewhat hazardous, therefore, safety also became a significant factor in the design and the flight pattern of boomerangs.